PHOTO: ANNA WEBBER | Herlin Riley is a drummer who makes his instrument sing. His resume is vast and long—and here comes another great collection of tunes solidifying his status as not just one of the greatest sidemen of his generation, but as an outstanding bandleader and composer.
For the new album, Riley has surrounded himself with a band of young musicians who will undoubtedly go on the spread the gospel of New Orleans-centric jazz. Russell Hall, a bassist from Jamaica, more than holds his own in anchoring the rhythm section echoing Riley’s syncopated beats and providing sonic depth to the music.
Trumpeter Bruce Harris and Haitian saxophonist Godwin Louis are the drummer’s secret weapons. I spent the better part of the recent Carnival season listening to the album without the benefit of the liner notes while riding around in my car. My ear was constantly pulled to their melodic gifts and exuberant solos while trying to figure out who was playing.
Pianist Emmet Cohen pulls it all together. His impeccable touch underlies much of the music and his solos can be sensuous and/or powerful. All four of these young musicians do for the music of Riley what then-young players like Donald Harrison, Terence Blanchard, and Wynton and Branford Marsalis did for the music of Art Blakey when they apprenticed in the band of that great jazz drummer.
So what about the music? The tunes on New Direction are the sum of Riley’s life and career at this point. “Shake Off the Dust,” a standout, gently paced ballad evokes the lyrical pianism of Ahmad Jamal, for whom Riley has played drums.
The title cut states from the outset that this recording is a new chapter in a long and storied career. It features guitarist Mark Whitfield as a very special guest who brings knife-edged precision to the melody line.
Master Cuban percussionist Pedrito Martinez is the special guest on “Connection to Congo Square” as well as two other cuts. The two rhythm monsters establish the foundation of the tune evoking not just New Orleans and jazz, but Afro-Cuban beats as well. Then the horn players blaze over the top on what is arguably my favorite cut on the album.
Of course any musical mentor worth his salt must make room for the mentees in the band room. Pianist Cohen contributes two out-of-sight compositions including the intricate “Herlin’s Hurdle,” which features a bring-down-the-house drum solo.
The album’s finale brings it all back home with a song made famous by one of the great mentors and teachers in the deeply layered New Orleans tradition—Danny Barker. It features Riley bashing Mardi Gras Indian beats on his ever-present tambourine and singing strong proving that, though I’m not sure he’s ever masked Indian, he’s one serious big chief.
